SHAG AND MANX SHEARWATER 91 



Materials Used. — Dead leaves, dry grass, and a few twigs, lined 



with down. 

 Eggs. — Six to Ten. Pale greyish-buff; shell smooth but not glossy. 

 Food. — Shellfish. 

 Voice. — Call, a grating " kr-kr-kr " or " kre-kr-kre." Male to 



female, " tu-tii-tii-tu; " response of female, " re-re-re-re. " 

 Chief Features. — A typical marine Duck, and, excepting when 



breeding, of oceanic habits. Glossy-black plumage of male 



very characteristic. 

 Plumage. — Glossy black above; orange on central ridge of upper 



mandible. Female, blackish-brown above; dark brown below. 



Length. — Twenty inches. 



SHAG (Phalacrocorax graculus) 



Local Names. — Common Shag, Crested Cormorant, Crested Scarf, 

 Crested Shag (young), Green Cormorant, Green Scout, Isle of 

 Wight Parson, Scarf, Skart. 



Haunt. — Rocky islets and precipitous parts of the coast. 



Nesting Period. — May and June. 



Site of Nest. — Holes, crevices, and ledges of rocks and sea cliffs. 



Materials Used. — Seaweed, turf, sticks, twigs, grass, and the like. 

 A large, untidy nest. 



Eggs. — Three to Five. White when laid, but soon become soiled. 



Food. — Fish. 



Voice. — Call, a harsh, guttural " croak." 



Chief Features. — Usually a very silent bird. Several pairs build 

 close together. The green plumage is a distinguishing feature, 

 and the Shag is not nearly so dark as its relative, the Cormorant. 



Plumage. — Bill black; yellow at the base of the under mandible; 

 the skin about the gape black, and profusely studded with 

 minute spots of yellow; emerald-green iris; dark green on 

 crown, neck, and upper and under parts, with reflections of 

 purple and bronze; black on wings and tail, legs, and feet; 

 in Spring a crest on the forehead is prominent, but this is lost 

 towards the end of May. Length. — Twenty-seven inches. 



SHEARWATER, MANX (Puffinus anglorum) 



Local Names. — Cuckee, Fachach, Lyne, Lyrie, Manx Lyre, Manx 

 Petrel, Manx Puffin, Scraib, Scrapire, Shearwater Petrel, 

 Skidden, Skrabe. 



Haunt. — The sea and its environs. 



Nestiyig Period. — May and June. 



Site of Nest. — Holes under rocks or in the ground. 



Materials Used. — A few dry stalks, or a little grass ; often none at all. 



